WITNESSES are being sought after two people were brutally assaulted by a large group outside a takeaway restaurant in Caterham.

Police said the victims, a man aged 45 and a 40-year-old woman, were confronted outside the Royal Chicken and Pizza shop on Coulsdon Road at 9.30pm on Friday, March 12.

They were punched and kicked several times. The woman suffered bruising and swelling to her left leg and a head injury, and the man needed stitches in his left ear and received a cut to the side of his head.

The victims were taken to East Surrey Hospital, while the attackers left the scene in the direction of Guards Avenue.

Detective Constable Rachael Pearson said: "This was a large scale incident in a busy part of Caterham-on-the-Hill and I believe those responsible for inflicting these injuries travelled to Caterham with the sole intention of starting a fight and that is something Surrey Police will not tolerate.

“Fortunately the injuries were not more serious but violence of any kind is simply unacceptable and we are determined to identify and arrest those responsible.

“It is possible some of the group were armed with belts, bottles and even bars and although we do not believe these items were used during the assault we are committed to removing these offences weapons from the streets.

“Those responsible are not above the law and we will use all methods available to us in order to gather evidence against those responsible to ensure they are brought to justice.”